The invention relates to devices for transporting substances, and in particular the leak detection devices in a gas or liquid transport pipe.
A known gas pipe is provided with temperature sensors distributed along its length and arranged outside the pipe. Since the temperature of the gas inside the pipe is of the order of −160° C., when a temperature sensor undergoes a sudden drop in temperature, the existence of a leak nearby in the pipe is determined.
This pipe has the drawback of not detecting or correctly locating small leaks or leaks that have a complicated path. In such cases, the temperature variation at the level of the sensors can prove inadequate for detecting the leak.
Furthermore, given the current development of gas transport networks, there is a need for pipes that offer increased safety control. There is in particular a need for detecting any gas leak or any suspect variation in the temperature along the pipe. These control means must make it possible to monitor leaks in a pipe that can be as long as several kilometers. There is also a need for locating leaks, which is particularly advantageous for intervening on pipes of long lengths.